The present invention relates to a process for removal of chloromethyl ethers from alkylbenzyl chlorides containing the same.
Alkylbenzyl chlorides are well-known compounds useful in a variety of applications. For example, alkylbenzyl chlorides are useful intermediates for formation of quaternary amine compounds having utility as disinfectants, emulsifiers, antistatic agents, etc.
Alkylbenzyl chlorides, when prepared according to conventional procedures (for example, chloromethylation of alkylbenzene as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,439), frequently contain chloromethyl ethers such as bis chloromethyl ether, chloromethyl methyl ether, chloromethyl ethyl ether, chloromethyl butyl ether, etc., as impurities. Such impurities have known undesirable properties and the removal of such impurities by conventional methods such as distillation is expensive and, in some instances, incomplete. Thus, an effective method of removing such impurities is desired by those skilled in the art.